


Losing a Home

by HomeForImaginaryFriends



Series: 31 Days of HQ Halloween [8]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Mermaids, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Naga, Sea Monsters, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-04 00:56:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21188879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/pseuds/HomeForImaginaryFriends
Summary: Daishou is severely wounded and forced from his home.  He believes all is lost until a cheery little mermaid finds him and brings some light back into his life.





	Losing a Home

Daishou curls himself into a dark corner of the cave, the managers words ringing in his head as he watches the water ripple as something moves towards him. He had come to this hotel thinking he would have to beg for a place to stay, something that wounded his already bruised pride, but had been surprised to find a cave already waiting for him. He had sensed interference from Kuroo, but Daishou couldn’t confirm that because the damn cat was making himself scarce.

The normal employees of the hotel wouldn’t work for Daishou so the manager had arranged for a mermaid to assist him with anything he needed. The manager, a young-looking man with a deep scar along his neck, had welcomed Daishou to the cave that resided deep underneath the hotel with little fanfare. His words had been light but the undertone of an unspoken threat lingered. The mermaid was not to be harmed and if the manager saw one scale out of place he would dispatch of Daishou himself.

It wouldn’t even be that hard, Daishou thought with a self directed sneer. He was horribly weak from his fight with another naga who had invaded his territory. He had nearly been killed, his body still oozing blood as he shifted deeper into the shadows as a head popped up out of the water.

Mermaids could come in all different shapes and sizes but this one was tiny and female with long brown hair and large eyes that darted around in the darkness, probably trying to see where Daishou had hidden himself. Mermaids, like most sea creatures, could see well in the dark if there was even a bit of light to assist them. But the bioluminescent stones that hung over the deep pool of water didn’t reach the far corners of the cave.

“Hello?” Her voice was high-pitched, better suited to be heard through water. She tucked her hair behind one ear. “My name is Yamaka.” She then hefted a fish that was nearly as big as her out of the water, letting it slap against the cave floor. “I brought you something to eat if you’re hungry.”

Daishou was hungry but he was also deeply ashamed that he couldn’t catch his own food. At one point and time this tiny creature would have been terrified at even the thought of him. He was easily twice her size, most likely bigger than that. He had used up all his energy getting to the hotel that was suited for monsters like himself.

Daishou felt a swell of anger that quickly washed out of him. It wasn’t Yamaka’s fault he had been attacked and unable to properly defend himself or his home. It wasn’t her fault he was grievously wounded and had to resort to hiding out in a cave. Daishou had never even thought of harming a mermaid. He had always admired them from afar of course. They were very skittish creatures but they were brightly colored, beautiful and were attracted to anything that shined.

This one, Yamaka, had shiny bracelets that decorated her arms. Daishou moved slowly from his corner, watched as the mermaid stiffened, her eyes widening as he carefully revealed himself. Even wounded and bleeding he was still something to be afraid of. That helped his pride, just a little.

“Thank you.” Daishou took the fish with care, making sure not to move too quickly. He pulled it towards himself, noticed the nervous fluttering of the mermaids pale tail. “That is very pretty jewelry you have.” Daishou felt like a fool. He never had to converse with anyone, especially nervous little mermaids who were perhaps too pretty to be serving him. His sharp teeth tore into the fish, trying to keep his mouth full so he would stop speaking.

“Oh!” Yamaka looked down at the bracelets as if she had forgotten about them before beaming with pride at him. “Thank you! Sawamura-” Daishou thought he had heard the manager introduce himself as such. “-gave them to me! To us, the other mermaids who live outside. This pool leads directly to the grotto we live in. I thought he would just give us more fish or clams as payment but he showed up with a chest full of this. They are even magicked so they don’t rust in the water.” Yamaka gave a wistful sigh, webbed fingers tracing over the bracelets before her cheeks tinged pink and she ducked lower in the water.

Daishou took another bite of the fish when he realized he had been staring without moving. How long had it been since he had last interacted with anyone? There had been those pirates but they had just tried to kill him. He wasn’t sure if screamed curses as he ate them counted as a real conversation.

“An entire chest?” Daishou asked, unsure of where to go from there but wanting to hear more from her. Yamaka rose back out of the water, cheeks still stained a pretty shade of pink but she was smiling at him.

“Yes, it is all very pretty.” Yamaka rested her arms on the cave floor, her pale tail moving through the water idly. “Like your earrings.”

“You like these?” Daishou asked, reaching up to touch the several earrings he had taken off the very same pirates who had tried to kill him. Yamaka nodded, eyes wide as she followed the movement of his clawed hand. Daishou didn’t think twice as he removed one of the dangling ones, the one with a blood red jewel on the end. He reached out, still slow and careful in his movements, keeping his long and injured tail mostly still hidden in the shadows. “Here.”

“Truly?” Yamaka took the earring, cooing gently as she admired the gleaming jewel. 

“Think of it as payment, since I have nothing else to give.” Daishou admitted quietly, finishing off the fish and feeling marginally better for it.

“Thank you.” She said shyly, curling her hand over the earring and holding it to her chest as if it was something precious. “But I volunteered for this job. I don’t work for the hotel, none of the mermaids do though we live in its water.” Yamaka used her arms to heft herself out of the water and sat on the edge of the cave floor, the bottom of her tail still in the water. Her tail was a soft, pale yellow that matched the scales that spread over her back and arms.

“Why would you volunteer for this?” Daishou asked, settling down on the cave floor so he wouldn’t tower over her slight form. One of his arms was nearly the size of her entire torso.

“Because I have never met a naga before.” Yamaka tilted her head, studying him. “Would you like me to see to your wounds?” She lightly touched her own left ear, the one that had been bitten off by the invading naga on Daishou’s own head. He knew it probably wasn’t a pretty sight, which was probably abhorrent to a mermaid, who so loved pretty things.

“Alright.” Daishou agreed easily, moving closer as Yamaka reached into the water to pull out a bag with a couple of jars in it. Yamaka made a high pitched sound when she turned to see how close Daishou had gotten. “Sorry I-”

“You poor thing,” Yamaka cooed, eyes caught on the deepest of wounds done to Daishou’s long tail. “I’ll get you fixed right up!” She promised, shifting through the jars and Daishou laid still as she began to apply sticky and smelly salves to his wounds.

Daishou had lost the only home he had known but perhaps it wasn’t the end of something but the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> October 8th, 2019 - 8. Frail


End file.
